Jared Diamond, in Guns, Germs, and Steel, describes 14 animals domesticated in ancient times. These species are known collectively as the Ancient 14. What are these species? Watch our class' VoiceThread about the oldest large mammals domesticated by humans.
Why Domestication Fails
6 reasons are given by Jared Diamond (pages 168-173).
How does Diamond refute the argument that the failure to domesticate certain animals arose from cultural differences? What does the modern failure to domesticate, for example, the eland suggest about the reasons why some peoples independently developed domestic animals and others did not?
Students: Answer the above questions in the way most comfortable to you and make it available here. A wiki essay, a VoiceThread, a YouTube video -- all are options you've done before. Your results are due on Tuesday (that means you have class time on Friday and Monday). When you're done, post the results here:
Why were only 14 large terrestrial mammals domesticated? Some 148 species match the initial requirements. Why weren't animals like zebras, bighorn sheep, and the buffalo brought under human control?
Spread of Animal Domestication
An annotated map that explains how and when animals and crops spread across the globe.
Table of Contents
About the Ancient 14
Jared Diamond, in Guns, Germs, and Steel, describes 14 animals domesticated in ancient times. These species are known collectively as the Ancient 14. What are these species? Watch our class' VoiceThread about the oldest large mammals domesticated by humans.
Why Domestication Fails
6 reasons are given by Jared Diamond (pages 168-173).
- Diet
- Growth rate
- Problems of captive breeding
- Nasty disposition
- Tendency to panic
- Social structure
The results of our analysis of a number of domestication failures is in this Google Spreadsheet: Anna Karenina Principle. (completed in class on November 1)Failure to Domesticate
How does Diamond refute the argument that the failure to domesticate certain animals arose from cultural differences? What does the modern failure to domesticate, for example, the eland suggest about the reasons why some peoples independently developed domestic animals and others did not?
Students: Answer the above questions in the way most comfortable to you and make it available here. A wiki essay, a VoiceThread, a YouTube video -- all are options you've done before. Your results are due on Tuesday (that means you have class time on Friday and Monday). When you're done, post the results here:
Zebras and Unhappy Marriages
Why were only 14 large terrestrial mammals domesticated? Some 148 species match the initial requirements. Why weren't animals like zebras, bighorn sheep, and the buffalo brought under human control?
Spread of Animal Domestication
An annotated map that explains how and when animals and crops spread across the globe.